This invention relates generally to an alarm device. More particularly, this invention relates to an alarm device for warning a parent that their child is being abducted.
Child abduction is a major problem. The number of children being abducted each year is growing. As many as 150,000 children are reported missing annually. Many of the abductions occur when the child is in close proximity to a parent. Abductions occur in stores, schoolyards, even at home.
The present invention relates to an alarm device which warns parents that their children have been separated from the place where the parents left the child. Many different alarm devices are known in the prior art. Some of these are hand-held devices. A typical hand-held device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,633,233 to Nelson. This device incorporates an alarm housed within a hand size enclosure. The alarm is triggered by the individual. The triggering switch is mechanical and located within the enclosure. This device is designed for personal security; not for protecting children.
Another hand-held device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,248,723 to Meithe. This device is a battery operated position responsive unit very similar to a flashlight. The device is primarily intended to be worn on clothing and to detect if the wearer has fallen. If it is used to protect an individual from an assailant, or to protect a child from abduction, the device is easily deactivated by either the assailant or abductor.
Another prior art device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,284 to Leveille et al. This device comprises a radio transmitter incorporated into a lockable collar. The radio transmitter must be activated by the wearer. The unit cannot be deactivated until it is unlocked. The signal transmitted aids the police in discovering the abducted individual.